Congress leaders should focus on Uttarakhand instead of Modi: BJP

New Delhi: BJP on Sunday criticised Congress for making political statements over the Uttarakhand tragedy, saying the ruling party`s leaders in the state and the Centre should instead focus on relief and rescue operations.
On Narendra Modi`s criticism by some Congress leaders, BJP spokesman Srikant Sharma said Gujarat is sensitive to such tragedies as it has suffered and dealt with in the past.

"The Congress is suffering from NaMonia and instead of making statements against the BJP leaders, they should focus on relief work and rescue thousands of those stranded in the tragedy-struck state," Sharma said.

Twenty-five Gujarat officers are currently involved in rescue and relief operations in Uttarakhand and control room have been set up in Haridwar and Dehradun, he said.

They have already rescued many of those stranded there, he said.

Sharma said the Gujarat Chief Minister has written to the Railway Minister for increasing numbers of trains and bogies in order to facilitate fast evacuation of the affected people.

"Our purpose is not to indulge in politics, but just help the Uttarakhand government," he said, referring to the decision by party chief Rajnath Singh to postpone the BJP`s proposed nationwide `Jail Bharo Andolan`.

He said Singh has also directed partymen across the country to concentrate on relief of the flood victims in Uttarakhand instead of focusing on the agitation, which was to take place between June 17 and 30.

Earlier in the day, Congress targeted Modi and dismissed reports that he had helped in evacuating 15,000 stranded people from Uttarakhand in two days.

The party also accused Modi of milking the tragedy in Uttarakhand for political mileage.